The shell chairs developed out of Michael Dreeben’s ongoing interest in traditional craft practices in north India - in this case saddle making. Exquisitely made saddles have been produced in India for centuries, and although some horse culture persists, it’s waning as India becomes more technologically developed. The shell chairs incentivize this skilled trade by providing these artisans with a new market for their craft, and hopefully encouraging them to pass it on to younger generations.

The shape of the chair is indebted to Scandinavian design of the mid-twentieth century and embraces some of its core values: it’s clean of line and emphasizes the leather forming and stitching, it’s deeply comfortable, and it’s durable like the saddles it’s derived from. Crafted from thick top-grain leather, with reasonable care, these chairs will last for decades.